Tag Archives: Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker

Daikanyama and Ebisu in Tokyo are notable for fashion and the lifestyle angle is richly appealing because despite being located in a notable part of this city, the refinement angle is a huge pulling power. Tokyo lifestyle in smaller quaint districts like Daikanyama, Jiyugaoka, Shimokitazawa, Hiroo, Nakameguro, and other sophisticated areas are highly desired. Therefore, despite the fashion angle belonging to all the above, it is clear that each area caters for a nice lifestyle irrespective if single, families, expatriates, students, age group, and so forth.

The fashion angle to Daikanyama is known to be hip, stylish, independent, and where creativity flourishes. The closeness to Ebisu and other adorable areas is another major pulling power. After all, Ebisu is blessed with lovely department stores and the layout is relaxing. The environment within the Yebisu Garden Place complex is a must place to visit because of the European architecture and open spaces.

For fashion lovers you have Mitsukoshi Department Store and Atre Department Store in Ebisu. In both stores you will find exquisite boutiques, lifestyle stores, and other amazing shops. Also, the eating area in Atre Department Store is not only elegant and stylish but the food is extremely delicious. Therefore, many shoppers like to relax in this lovely environment which is extremely refreshing.

Boutiques in Atre Department Store include Salon de la Trinit’e, Papill Onner, Allureville, N.Natural Beauty Basic, ENCHAINMENT UNI point de mignon, Lock Your Hearts, and so many other amazing fashion stores. Atre Department Store is extremely individualistic and on the seventh floor you have a cultural angle. Within the same department store you also have many scrumptious cake shops.

Likewise, in Mitsukoshi Department Store you have exquisite boutiques and many crème de la crème companies selling sophisticated products. Mitsukoshi in Ebisu is also extremely innovative and the location is richly rewarding because this fantastic store is located in the Yebisu Garden Place complex. Therefore, individuals visit for kid’s apparel, lifestyle products, fashion, Art products, shoes, beauty and relaxation, bags, accessories, food and you also have relaxing places to enjoy quiet moments over a delicious drink. After visiting this adorable department store you can then soak up the environment of Yebisu Garden Place.

In Daikanyama you have a delightful “European fashion district” and you also feel the same European influence at the Atre Department Store in Ebisu. This lovely feel about the place means that fashion lovers in Tokyo adore Daikanyama and Ebisu which share the same environment. Also, the independent feel to fashion in Daikanyama is most appealing and when fused with the “European fashion district,” it is easy to understand why this part of Tokyo is highly regarded.

Therefore, fashion stores like Evisu, Hollywood Ranch Market, Via Bus Stop, Actus, Silas and Maria, Loveless, Tsumori Chisato, APC, Arigato, Alfredo Bannister, Hemisphere, AS, and a host of other lovely boutiques, attract fashion lovers from all over Tokyo. The layout of Daikanyama is also nicely designed in the fashion area and you have many places to wine and dine in Daikanyama and Ebisu. This means that both districts appeal greatly based on lifestyle because within minutes of the busy areas you have lovely suburbs.

In Ebisu you also have the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and Beer Museum. Overall, the lifestyle is extremely appealing and for Tokyoites it is clear that both Ebisu and Daikanyama are extremely popular. The closeness to each other and to other districts like Hiroo, Nakameguro, Roppongi, and central Shibuya is also another major pulling power.

Versace re-entered the Japanese market in 2011 after pulling out in 2009 and now this internationally famous company is focused on expansion after positive sales. It remains to be seen if the current situation for Versace is “a true renaissance” in Japan because clearly this company had a difficult time in the years prior to pulling out. However, given the power of this famous brand and with new mechanisms being set up, then clearly the possibility of “a new renaissance” in Tokyo, Osaka, and in other parts of Japan, is feasible given the exquisite nature of this fashion company.

In fairness to Versace, when they closed their stores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Chiba in 2009. They did make it clear that a return was possible in the near future. This applies to the company statement which stated that it was time to “close them and start with a clean slate.”

Therefore, rather than struggling on and trying to make things work, Versace was focused on “a clean slate.”Given this, it is evident that Versace wanted to refresh their thinking and concepts in order to meet the rigors of the Japanese market. This approach is very intriguing because often companies take negativity by either fluttering away many years or they finally decide to leave a powerful market from weakness. Yet it was clear by the statement in 2009 that Versace left from strength despite the adversity of the time.

In 2011 Versace was true to their word because they did start with “a clean slate” and re-entered the Japanese market. Once more Tokyo and Osaka were the linchpins because both cities are huge and their financial base is enormous. The same applies to both cities having an abundance of fashion districts. Also, the demand for quality brands is more than obvious in both Tokyo and Osaka – and the same applies to other powerful cities, for example Kobe, Nagoya, Sendai, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and other major cities throughout Japan.

However, the Japanese market is extremely competitive and certain unique cultural factors related to business and other areas, means that Versace follows a long list of international companies which found “difficult times” in Japan. Each company will have different reasons behind this and while some have pulled out indefinitely, others have returned once different methodologies have been implemented which suit the host market. Also, some companies that have returned have done so by numbing down their past ambitions but it appears that Versace is intent on expanding after consolidating itself rather quickly.

It is reported that Versace plans to open another three to four stores in Japan before the end of 2012. This is based on positive international sales throughout the world despite the negative global economy. If everything goes according to plan then it will certainly be a “new renaissance” for Versace in Japan and given the innovation of this exquisite company then hopes remain high.

Once Hiroshi Saito was announced to be the Chief Executive Officer of Versace Japan, then the re-entering of Versace into the Japanese market certainly appeared to be the “clean slate” like promised. The Chief Executive Officer of Versace SpA, Gian Giacomo Ferraris, commented in 2011 that “I am very excited to announce that Mr. Saito, whom I worked with very well in the past, is joining our team. He is one of the best managers in the Japanese luxury business and he understands Italian fashion brands better than anyone else.”

“I am confident that, with the arrival of Mr. Saito, our re-entry into the Japanese market will proceed fast and in the correct way. At the Group level, we continue to work with focus and enthusiasm towards our goals which, for 2011, foresee a significant growth in retail and wholesale sales, as well as a return to profitability.”

It would appear that the confidence espoused in the above comments by Gian Giacomo Ferraris is bearing fruit. This can be seen by the expansion plans of Versace after positive sales since re-entering the Japanese market.